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When to book Thanksgiving and Christmas flights for the best deals, according to Google
CBS News • • business
Key Points:
- Booking flights early is crucial this holiday season, with Google Flights recommending purchasing Thanksgiving tickets around October 22 and Christmas tickets by late October to mid-November for the best deals.
- For Thanksgiving travel, the lowest fares are typically found 34 days before departure, while Christmas fares are lowest about 56 days prior, with optimal booking windows spanning several weeks around these dates.
- Traveling on off-peak days, such as Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving and avoiding peak return dates like Sunday, Nov. 29, can help save money, according to fare aggregator Hopper.
- Flight prices are higher than usual this year due to increased oil and jet fuel costs driven by the Iran war, with jet fuel prices nearly doubling since early 2023.
- Average domestic round-trip airfares have risen significantly, with Thanksgiving flights up 31% to $402 and Christmas flights up 23% to $452 compared to last year.
